One Group of Moderators For All CRS Panels

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In a departure from the usual format for Country Radio Seminar, all of the panels at the 2011 conference will be moderated by the same group of country radio veterans.

The five individuals chosen by the CRB Board of Directors as the inaugural class of CRS moderators are Charlie Cook (McVay Media), Erica Farber (The Farber Connection, LLC), Dan Halyburton (McVay Media), Lon Helton (Country Aircheck) and Charlie Morgan (Emmis Broadcasting).

This group will share the responsibility of overseeing and directing 17 different educational panels over three days at CRS 2011, to be held March 2-4, 2011, at the Nashville Convention Center.

“In making this unprecedented change in our seminar, the vision of Country Radio Broadcasters was to implement a team of moderators who possess the specialized skills to draw the best from our panelists and audience participants,” says CRB Executive Director Bill Mayne. “We feel that this is the best way to encourage open dialogue and useful ‘take away’ information from each session. Our goal is to provide each participant with the necessary tools to increase revenue, increase ratings and advance their career.”

Looking forward, CRB plans to recruit a pool of at least 20 individuals to choose from to assemble each year’s class of moderators.

In the past two years, Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. has implemented several changes for CRS, including a digital liners program, the CRS 1-on-1 mentoring sessions, and a $99 unemployment registration rate. For details visit www.CRB.org.

Photos: WMBA Week; FBMM Helps Habitat

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The Women’s Music Business Association kicked off WMBA Week by visiting the CMA to share Izzie’s Italian ice. The WMBA is also serving free Izzie’s Ice at Owen Bradley Park this Wednesday from 11am – 1pm, and invites the Music Row community to stop by. The group is celebrating its new non-profit status with events all week. For a schedule visit www.wmbanashville.org.

(L-R): Aaron Hartley, WMBA President Brandi Simms, Sarah McGrady, Kasey Cleckler, sponsor Elizabeth Gammans- Izzie's Ice, Betsy Walker, Mala Patterson, Holly Ashby, Lindsay Puddy, WMBA VP Penny Dionne, and Kyle Quigley

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Staffers from music business management firm Flood Bumstead McCready & McCarthy braved the heat last weekend to help with a Habitat for Humanity build.

Side Projects: Montgomery’s Restaurant; Wayne’s Book

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Eddie Montgomery is busy planning the Sept. 14 grand opening of his steak house in hometown Harrodsburg, Ky. The 20,000 square foot entertainment and dining complex is called Eddie Montgomery’s Steakhouse. It is set on 23 acres, which Montgomery says will soon be the site of an outdoor entertainment amphitheater, nearby hotel and other family-friendly attractions.

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Jimmy Wayne has signed a book deal with Howard Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. The company will publish his first novella, Paper Angels, in Fall 2011. The book, to be co-authored with well-known Christian novelist Travis Thrasher, will be inspired by Wayne’s childhood growing up in the North Carolina foster care system.

Aldean Brings The “Party” This Nov.

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Jason Aldean has set a Nov. 2 release date for his fourth studio album, My Kinda Party. After spending more weeks at No. 1 on the country radio charts than any other artist in over a year, the star’s fans are itching for new music. The title track is already at radio.

Aldean’s upcoming release includes 15 tracks, ranging from a duet with Kelly Clarkson on “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” to his unique version of southern rap on “Dirt Road Anthem.” He reunited with longtime producer Michael Knox for the outing, which will be delivered via Broken Bow Records.

“The album is named My Kinda Party because it’s totally representative of what I like and what my fans have come to expect on my records and at the ‘party’ we throw at our shows,” says Aldean. “I think the key is knowing who you are as an artist and taking it to an extreme without ripping anybody else off…it’s all about knowing what it is that sets you apart.”

Aldean has sold more than 3.5 million units.

My Kinda Party tracklist

1. Tattoos On This Town (Neil Thrasher, Wendell Mobley, Michael Dulaney)
2. Dirt Road Anthem (Brantley Gilbert, Colt Ford)
3. Church Pew or Barstool (Josh Thompson, Adam Craig, Michael Howard)
4. Just Passing Through (David Lee Murphy, Kim Tribble)
5. Fly Over States (Neil Thrasher, Michael Dulaney)
6. My Kinda Party (Brantley Gilbert)
7. I Ain’t Ready to Quit (Thomas Rhett Akins, Jaron Boyer, Ben Stennis)
8. It Ain’t Easy (Justin Weaver, Caitlyn Smith, Jon Mabe)
9. Country Boy’s World (John Edwards, Jayce Hein, Ronny Vines, Tommy Curry)
10. Heartache That Don’t Stop Hurting (Brett James, Leslie Satcher)
11. Texas Was You (Neil Thrasher, Wendell Mobley, Tony Martin)
12. Don’t You Wanna Stay (Paul Jenkins, Jason Sellers, Andy Gibson)
13. See You When I See You (Neil Thrasher, Wendell Mobley, Tony Martin)
14. If She Could See Me Now (Bryan Edwards, Bill Luther, Justin Weaver)
15. Days Like These (Neil Thrasher, Mike Busbee, Wendell Mobley)

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With today’s addition from Aldean, here’s a recap of some of the fall releases which could boost holiday album sales.

Sept. 21—Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give (Atlantic/Southern Ground)
Sept. 28—Kenny Chesney, Hemingway’s Whiskey (Blue Chair/BNA)
Oct. 5—Toby Keith, Bullets In The Gun (Show Dog – Universal)
Oct. 19—Sugarland, The Incredible Machine (Mercury)
Oct. 25—Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Big Machine)
Nov. 2—Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party (Broken Bow)
Nov. 16—Rascal Flatts, Nothing Like This (Big Machine)

Full release schedule here.

Radio Welcomes Jesse Lee and Adam Brand

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Jesse Lee In Wisconsin
Jesse Lee stopped by to see John & Tammy at WMAD in Madison, WI and spent some time on the air with the morning team and visited with station PD Mike Ferris.

(l-r) John, Tammy, Jesse Lee, Mike Ferris (PD)

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Adam Brand In Atlanta
Arista Nashville’s Australian newcomer Adam Brand was in Atlanta recently, where his visit included a call on WKHX/Kicks 101.5. Brand is currently on the road and making friends in support of his U.S. debut single, “Ready for Love.”

(l-r): WKHX PD Mark Richards; Brand; station MD Mike Macho; and Arista Nashville Regional Promo Mgr Tyler Waugh.

Friday Photos: On The Road, At The Beach

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Troy Olsen Visits CMT
EMI Records Nashville flagship artist Troy Olsen recently stopped by the downtown Nashville offices of CMT to meet the staff and perform a few songs including his current single “Summer Thing.”

(l to r) Jay Frank, SVP, Music Strategy/CMT; Troy Olsen; Stephen Linn, Sr. Director, Music Programming and Promotion/CMT; Chet Flippo, CMT Editorial Director.

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Mark Chesnutt’s Country Vibe
Saguaro Road Records artist Mark Chesnutt recently stopped by The Stage on Lower Broadway in downtown Nashville for a chat with Chuck and Becca for this week’s The Country Vibe. Chesnutt talked about recording his fourteenth studio album, which includes covers of outlaw classics such as Hank Williams, Jr.’s “Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound” and Kris Kristofferson’s “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.” The Texas native also performed his current single, “Lovin’ Her Was Easier.”

Mark Chesnutt (right) with The Country Vibe co-host Chuck Long

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Bucky Goes For The Gold
Bucky Covington was recently in Ottawa, Ontario Canada where he played the 2010 Capital Hoedown and met Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist Katie Weatherston backstage at the show.

(l-r): Bucky Covington and Katie Weatherston (Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist, Hockey)

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Easton Corbin In West Palm
Mercury Records artist Easton Corbin recently enjoyed some hang time in West Palm Beach with WIRK’s Sammy Cruise and mid day host Keith Van Allen.

(l-r) Sammy Cruise, Easton Corbin and Keith Van Allen

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BMI Takes Sandestin
The inaugural Sandestin Music Festival took place August 13 and 14 in the Florida  beach community. Sponsored by BMI, the multi-genre event lineup featured legends Steve Cropper and Delbert McClinton; guitarist, singer and songwriter Lee Roy Parnell; country songwriters Jeffrey Steele, Danny Myrick, Marty Dodson and James Slater; multi-media star Lari White; and up-and-comer Kree Harrison at the 2,400-acre Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

(l-r): BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Jody Williams; Delbert McClinton; Danny Myrick; Marty Dodson; Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort Events Director Shawna Meisner; Steve Cropper; James Slater; and Lee Roy Parnell. Photo by Steve Lowry

Miranda Lambert Readies Live DVD

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Reigning ACM Top Female Vocalist Miranda Lambert will release her first performance DVD, Revolution: Live By Candlelight on October 12. The six-song DVD features rare, acoustic performances of five songs from her 2010 ACM Album of the Year, Revolution, including her back-to-back No. 1 singles, “White Liar,” and “The House That Built Me.” As an added bonus, the DVD also features one of her favorite songs, “Love Is Looking For You,” from her Kerosene album.

Revolution: Live By Candlelight also includes exclusive, never-before-seen footage of the stories behind the songs. The DVD was filmed in an intimate setting – a dimly lit stage surrounded with candles – which actually set off the fire alarm while recording. 

Lambert is set to announce this year’s CMA Award final nominees in five categories with Dierks Bentley on Wednesday, Sept. 1 live from ABC’s Good Morning America studios in New York. The announcement will air in the 7:30 AM/CT half-hour segment of the morning news program. That same morning, Lambert will also be appearing as a guest on NBC’s Today Show in the 9:00 AM/CT hour.

She is also among the performers featured in that evening’s three-hour special CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, on ABC (airs Wednesday, Sept. 1 7:00-10:00 PM/CT).  She performs her current single, “Only Prettier.”

Fans can pre-order  Revolution: Live By Candlelight here.

Royalty Rights Revenue Stream Maze

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Earlier this week Digital Music News highlighted these two royalty payment flow charts. The first, titled Working In Music is drawn from a British perspective and created by Wiggin LLP. The second is from a U.S. perspective offered by royalty admin specialist MusicReports. To see the large size versions click here and click here.

Gary Allan Joins Houser, Niemann On “Pain” Tour

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MCA Records artist Gary Allan has announced the second leg of his fall tour. The first leg of the Get Off On The Pain Tour sold out shows from Club Nokia Live in Los Angeles to the Superpages.com Center in Dallas to the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. With a hugely successful run under his belt, Allan is taking a leap to larger venues this fall, playing several theaters, arenas and sheds. Jerrod Niemann and Randy Houser will be joining Allan on the tour, which kicks off in Salt Lake City on September 16th and runs through the end of the year.

“We had a blast earlier this year on the road and we’re fired up about headlining larger stages,” said Allan. “I’ve always wanted to take my time to build things slow…and the timing just feels right to make that leap now. We’ve got Live Nation on board and a string of sold out shows behind us…we’re in a pretty good spot.”

A limited number of presale tickets to each show will be available to Gary Allan Fan Club members through GaryAllan.com.

Allan’s new album, Get Off On The Pain, was met with critical acclaim in USA Today, People, Billboard, Associated Press, American Songwriter and Playboy.  His latest single, “Get Off On Pain,” is currently climbing the charts while his concert special Gary Allan: Live From The House Of Blues is airing this summer on GAC. Allan has released four No. 1 hits and more than ten Top 10 hits at country radio. He’s released back-to-back Platinum records and sold over six million albums to date.

The New York Times calls Houser a “crowd pleaser” and the Los Angeles Times wrote that Houser adds “grit to the genre” with his debut Anything Goes, an album that produced two hit singles—the Top 5 smash “Boots On” and Top 20 title track. The Mississippi-born singer/songwriter has performed over 200 shows in the last year and earned multiple CMA, ACM, and CMT nominations. Houser will celebrate the release of his sophomore album, They  Call Me Cadillac, on Show Dog-Universal Music on September 21. The album includes the forthcoming single, “A Man Like Me.”

Sea Gayle/Arista Nashville records artist Niemann recently earned his first RIAA-certified Gold Digital Single for his recent #1 smash, “Lover, Lover.” Hailed as “a gentleman outlaw” by The New York Times, Niemann has garnered great reviews for his co-produced major label debut album, Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury, which entered Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart at No. 1 in July and has remained among the chart’s Top 5 bestsellers since its release.

Get Off On The Pain Tour dates:

Date      City                                                         Venue
9/16       Salt Lake City, UT                                 The E Center of the West Valley
9/17       Broomfield, CO                                     1st Bank Center
9/18       Colorado Springs, CO                           Colorado Springs World Arena
9/19       Mescalero, NM                                     Inn of the Mountain Gods Casino (Jerrod Niemann only support act)
9/24       Springfield, IL                                      Prairie Capital Convention Center
9/25       Columbus, OH                                      Columbus Crew Stadium
9/26       Morehead, KY                                      Morehead State University
10/7       Toledo, OH                                           Huntington Center
10/8       Erie, PA                                                Tullio Arena
10/9       Detroit, MI                                            The Fillmore
10/21     Corpus Christi, TX                               Concrete Street Amphitheatre
10/23     Dallas, TX                                            Superpages.com Center
10/24     Houston TX                                          Sam Houston Raceway
10/28     Lincoln, NE                                          Pershing Center
10/29     Popular Bluff, MO                                   Black River Coliseum
11/13     Red Wing, MN                                        Treasure Island Resort & Casino (Gary Allan only no support act)
11/18     Atlanta, GA                                          Fox Theater
11/19     Charlotte, NC                                       The Fillmore
11/20     Myrtle Beach, SC                                 House Of Blues

SAE Scholarship Honors Flood Victim

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SAE Institute Nashville and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus announced today that Nebraska native Alexander Eiberhardt is the winner of their inaugural scholarship to honor the memory of former SAE Institute student, Dan Brown. The aspiring musician and engineer student was tragically killed this year in the Nashville floods. In his name, the two organizations are offering Eiberhardt a full scholarship to the Audio Technology Diploma Program.

Chosen amongst hundreds of applicants, Eiberhardt was selected based on both need and merit by a panel consisting of Chuck Moore, Campus Director SAE Nashville, Chris Davie, VP Operations SAE, Anthony Frantzis VP Marketing SAE and Marco Bettelli, President SAE and Brian Rothschild, Director of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus.

The award ceremony with be held at 2:00 PM on August 31 at the SAE Nashville Institute located at 7 Music Center North. On hand will be Brown’s parents and local industry and business members to watch Alexander receive the honor.

“I’m so honored to be chosen as the recipient of the Dan Brown Memorial Scholarship,” says Eiberhardt. “Growing up in a small town, I always hoped to further channel my musical ability into a potential career and I am thrilled that with this opportunity I will be able to join SAE and do just that.”

“We are excited to present this inaugural scholarship to Alexander as he fits the mold of a student who is dedicated to learning and pursing higher education within the music industry,” says SAE’s Moore. “This is an ideal candidate to honor Dan’s name via this scholarship and we look forward to developing this into an annual endeavor.”

The Dan Brown Memorial Scholarship was open to all high school graduates with plans to attend SAE Institute Nashville’s Audio Technology Program.  The scholarship eligibility requirements are both need and merit based. Eiberhardt was chosen to receive an award that covers all tuition costs associated with the program. The scholarship covers coursework applied towards an accredited audio technology diploma.

For more information about the Dan Brown Memorial Scholarship call 615.244.5848.